LECALE, ONCE COMPRISING THE HISTORIC BARONIES OF LECALE UPPER AND LECALE LOWER, IS A FLAT PENINSULA IN COUNTY DOWN, LYING BETWEEN STRANGFORD LOUGH AND DUNDRUM BAY.
IT IS BOUNDED TO THE WEST BY THE RIVERS QUOILE AND BLACKSTAFF, AND THE MARSHES WHICH USED TO SURROUND THE LOW HILL ON WHICH DOWN CATHEDRAL STANDS.
I have two small publications which are most interesting: The Bangors and Ballyculter, an historical sketch of the parish of Ballyculter (Strangford), written in 1980 by the late Rev William Edmund Kennedy; and Lecale Miscellany, Issue Four, published in 1984 by Lecale Historical Society.
Mr Kennedy wrote much about the parish of Ballyculter and its beautiful parish church.
OLD COURT CHAPEL, nestling in the grounds of the de Ros demesne - home to Peter and Siân Maxwell (Lord and Lady de Ros) - also gets a mention.
The title of Ros apparently used to be spelt Roos, hence the latter pronunciation.
Peter Maxwell is the 28th BARON DE ROS and Premier Baron of England.
Lord Bangor owned the townlands of Audleystown, Ballincleave, Ballyculter Upper and Lower, Loughkeeland, Raholp, Castle Mahon and Castle Ward.
Lord de Ros was landlord of Cairntaggart, Killard Upper and Lower, Strangford Upper and Lower, and Tullyratty.
GIBB'S ISLAND was once a busy shipping route from the port of Downpatrick - at Quoile Quay - out to Strangford Lough and thence to the open sea.
This route must have been spectacular for sailors and passengers in various steamers, winding their way from Quoile Quay or Steamboat Quay, outside Downpatrick, in a northerly direction.
The river meandered its way up to Castle Island and Hare Island - where a great tidal barrage now blocks the river; past Gibb's Island and Gores Island; between SALT ISLAND and Moore's Point; then presumably skirting westwards of Green Island, into Strangford Lough proper.
First published in September, 2009.
3 comments :
Do you you could post a detailed map (or a link to such) of the islands on Strangford lough? It would make visualising their location easier, and put your very interesting observations into a geopraphical context. I know that the Google Maps view of Stranford only names a few islands. I guess the doomsday scenario is that a map could be manually annotated. Anyway, its just a suggestion! Carry on the excellent work.
J
Tim
I noted with interest "I have, indeed, unearthed two booklets which are most interesting: The Bangors and Ballyculter, an historical sketch of the parish of Ballyculter (Strangford), written in 1980 by the late Rev W E Kennedy".
He and Eric Sullivan ran the 1st Strangford Scouts, of which I was proud to be a member. I called into Ballyculter Church the other day as it was included in the "Open Door" programme. I was chatted to Willie Crea at the door, a stalward of lecale Miscellany. He mentioned this pamphlet and the fact that it was unique and irreplaceable, un-lendable to anyone!
Where did you find your copy?
We knew him as "Buckshot" Kennedy. No idea why! I remember vaguely being caught nicking apples from the rectory orchard in Strangford by the great man.
Any chance of scanning some interesting pages of the pamphlet and posting them to the blog or to me somehow?
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